Ryan Gosling to join Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ghost Rider

Ryan Gosling will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as the titular character in a new Ghost Rider film, the company has announced.

Speaking during the surprise announcement at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, Gosling said it is a character he has “wanted to play for a very long time”.

The film is due to be released in 2028, and will be the third about the motorcycle-riding anti-hero.

It will follow the 2007 film of the same name starring Nicolas Cage, and its follow-up, 2011’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.

Before making the big reveal on stage at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said he had often been asked when Gosling would join the MCU.

Shortly after, the lights turned off. When they returned, the actor appeared on stage to cheers from screaming fans.

Speaking about the role, Gosling said: “Wow, is this really happening?”

He has previously spoken about his desire to take on the role. Appearing on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast in March, he confirmed he was in discussions with Marvel.

Ghost Rider is the anti-hero identity of motorcycle stuntman Johnny Blaze.

The character’s story begins when he becomes bound to the Spirit of Vengeance Zarathos after making a deal with villain Mephisto to spare his surrogate father, giving him superpowers.

The film will be directed by Shawn Levy, who Gosling described as the “only” director for the project.

Levy has previously directed Deadpool & Wolverine in the MCU, and is currently working with Gosling on Star Wars: Starfighter, which is due to be released next year.

Levy told the crowd that he and Gosling spent a lot of their downtime on set daydreaming about Ghost Rider and swapping ideas.

The director said: “As Ryan started talking about his vision for this character, we started riffing, and I finally said, ‘bro, let’s ride’, so guys, we’ll see you in 2028.”